Quotes of the day

posted at 10:53 pm on April 19, 2010 by Allahpundit

“Criticism is part of the lifeblood of democracy. No one is right all the time. But we should remember that there is a big difference between criticizing a policy or a politician and demonizing the government that guarantees our freedoms and the public servants who enforce our laws.

“We are again dealing with difficulties in a contentious, partisan time. We are more connected than ever before, more able to spread our ideas and beliefs, our anger and fears. As we exercise the right to advocate our views, and as we animate our supporters, we must all assume responsibility for our words and actionsbefore they enter a vast echo chamber and reach those both serious and delirious, connected and unhinged.”

***
“In the world of the Southern Poverty Law Center, the threat is always growing. Ronald Reagan’s policies led to a growing threat. The first Gulf War led to a growing threat. The election of Bill Clinton led to a growing threat. The Internet led to a growing threat. Sept. 11 led to a growing threat. The war in Iraq led to a growing threat. Is it any wonder that Obama’s presidency has, in the SPLC’s estimation, led to a growing threat?

“Hate groups do exist across the political spectrum, and have for a long time. But they have nothing to do with the expressions of frustration over deficits, taxes and Obamacare that we have heard at so many Tea Party gatherings. That frustration, felt by Republicans, independents and even some Democrats, is an entirely mainstream reaction to the sharply activist course the president and congressional leadership have taken. While the level of frustration is indeed a threat, it is a political threat. Ask Democrats running in this November’s elections.”

Blowback

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I think it’s pretty scary that fancy pants like madison conservative/megs mccain constantly rail about their conservative credentials, but seem content in their blissful ignorance about the most violent physical attack by liberals on conservatives in quite a long time, for political reasons.

Of course, perhaps the fact that the attacker was one of the liberal protesters and later beat up the people he was protesting has absolutely nothing to do with politics.

Considering the misinformation on here and MM’s page, can you blame me?

TTheoLogan on April 19, 2010 at 11:58 PM

Misinformation? No. They’ve reported the facts as we know them. You, on the other hand, continue to link to one blog and insult MM and AP with name calling, chiding them for not seeing the story as you do.

If the facts come out and show that this assault was politically motivated, I have no doubt that Michelle Malkin will report on the thuggery tactics and who is behind the attack. Right now, they’re being prudent and rightfully so. Jumping to conclusions with circumstantial evidence is no different than what the Lefties did with the KY census worker.

AnninCA is obviously trying to steer the conversation in a direction that has nothing to do with the QOTD so that people won’t bash her sainted Billy boy for acting like the douchebag water carrier that he is for this administration. Who the eff cares if a bunch of gun rights activists had a rally today? I mean, this from someone who voted for a guy who was out on the back nine and couldn’t be disturbed while some Pantybomber was trying to blow up a U.S. airliner over a major city? GMAFB.

I love how you ignore the fact that no guns were used at the Oklahoma City bombing. And, once again, you assume that your own opinion is held by large numbers of the public. Seriously, get over yourself.

Gee, you’re accusing anyone not chiming in with your pet talking point of not being a conservative and simultaneously presenting pure hyperbolic speculation as some sort of story that real conservative pundits like AP and Michelle Malkin aren’t covering when, in fact, they did.

You know, I wish somebody with more technical skill than I have could put together a 5 minute or so video showing all of the hateful rhetoric aimed at George Bush during his 8 years.

I have some lefty co-workers who always make flippant remarks about the right and tea parties being so “angry” and “hateful”. I would just love to have a video I could cue up on my computer to show them things like:
– Howard Dean saying he hates Republicans.
– Harry Reid calling Bush a loser.
– Al Gore screaming, “He betrayed his country!”
– All of the Bush=Hitler signs at anti-war protests.
– All of the Bush assassination “art”, signs and films.
– Code Pink accosting Condoleeza Rice with “blood” on their hands.
– Moveon.org’s General Betray Us ad.
– Various actors/singers saying hateful things about Bush.

That’s just off the top of my head. If I had it all in one place to show these idiots and then just ask them where the hell they were with their “concern” about hateful rhetoric back then.

Is there a video like this out there? If not, it would be awesome to have someone put one together so we could have it handy to counter these fools.

I’ve been reading through all of the posts and was going to stay out of the fray. But I cannot, no…I must not let this one go. For this I have no recourse but to resort to name calling.
AnninCA, you are an IDIOT!

My prediction is that this rally will calcify opinions against the Teaparties.

This was a turning point.

AnninCA on April 20, 2010 at 12:06 AM

OK, you are so wrong on this one – of course you know this.

Tea Partiers have been called every vile thing in the book except donkey-loving Maoists (we’ll leave that obvious label for the left). Their popularity is growing … yet you are claiming that this one rally is what’s going to hurt the Tea Party.

Sorry, just because you (like the MSM and left before) label these people as insensitive extremists doesn’t mean these people won’t be taken seriously…

Misinformation? No. They’ve reported the facts as we know them. You, on the other hand, continue to link to one blog and insult MM and AP with name calling, chiding them for not seeing the story as you do.

If the facts come out and show that this assault was politically motivated, I have no doubt that Michelle Malkin will report on the thuggery tactics and who is behind the attack. Right now, they’re being prudent and rightfully so. Jumping to conclusions with circumstantial evidence is no different than what the Lefties did with the KY census worker.

conservative pilgrim on April 20, 2010 at 12:06 AM

They haven’t reported the facts as they know them. Michelle Malkin, as many of the organizers of the SRLC will tell you, was upset that she didn’t get an all expenses paid trip to SRLC.

The “facts as we know them” claim you make, when malkin makes claims like, “the crime infested french quarter” just shows how much of a water carrier you are. Everyone with a clue knows crime in the area is OUTSIDE the french quarter, and there are rarely, if ever, attacks/crime on tourists IN THE FRENCH QUARTER.

The clip I heard suggested that people were so angry about government that they felt the need to arm themselves, with a lot of garbage about how they would shoot.

It was militia talk, for sure.

And absolutely outrageous.

I’d support the government against that type of person on any day of the week.

AnninCA on April 20, 2010 at 12:09 AM

Link this clip you’re talking about, and cite specific examples where people talked about shooting. Can you differentiate it from law-abiding people peacefully carrying their weapons, expressing frustrated discontent with the current state of government?

I’ve been to tea parties, m’dear. I’ve open carried with others, m’dear. The behavior you’re describing is shunned by people at rallies. I’m calling bulls**t until you can provide us with the audio in question.

I have nothing against selfishness — it’s the driving force of Adam Smith’s invisible hand — I’m just saying that holding arms as a check against government is a more altruistic reason, and is the heart and soul of the Second Amendment, methinks.

There are worse things than hearing those you consider rabble daring to speak out against the regime you now support, Bill Clinton. With my little ring I can take you apart molecule by molecule and then put you back together again. And maybe I put you back together right and maybe I don’t. But you’ll be alive and conscious for every second of it.

Hey, AnninCA, don’t you live in Texas now? Guaranteed you know more people who own guns than you realize. If someone ever tries to break into your house, one of your kindly neighbors with his trusty rifle might even save your life from the intruder. Gun owners are pretty cool that way.

Joe’s napkin notes are from answers.com on the definition of sedition.

If he weren’t such a lazy man, he would have drilled a bit and found a far more interesting history. He might not be so comfortable with himself if he read the whole thing…but I know, he has a party to go to..tah, tah.

The Sedition Act made it a crime to publish anything false or malicious about either house of Congress or about the executive branch. Benjamin Franklin Bache, editor of the Philadelphia Aurora, predicted that “to laugh at the cut of a coat of a member of Congress will soon be treason.” In fact, many editors went to prison for writing critically about Congress and the President. Even Representative Matthew Lyon (Democratic-Republican-Vermont) spent time in jail for condemning the government in his newspaper. Democratic Republicans considered these laws unconstitutional. “Men who engage in public life, or are members of legislative bodies, must expect to be exposed to…attacks on their principles and opinions,” said Senator Charles Pinckney (Democratic-Republican-South Carolina). When they gained the majority in the election of 1800, Democratic-Republicans allowed the Alien and Sedition Acts to expire.

For example, in the seminal free speech case of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, the Court declared, “Although the Sedition Act was never tested in this Court, the attack upon its validity has carried the day in the court of history.” 376 U.S. 254, 276 (1964). In a concurring opinion in Watts v. United States, which involved an alleged threat against President Lyndon Johnson, William O. Douglas noted, “The Alien and Sedition Laws constituted one of our sorriest chapters; and I had thought we had done with them forever … Suppression of speech as an effective police measure is an old, old device, outlawed by our Constitution.”[2]

Ann, I really do think it will calcify those on the left, in the same way that all the wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth that’s been going on for months will. Normal people in the center, and the right, aren’t going to have a problem with it. The people who have a problem with it, would be having a problem with us in the first place.

I’ve been to tea parties, m’dear. I’ve open carried with others, m’dear. The behavior you’re describing is shunned by people at rallies. I’m calling bulls**t until you can provide us with the audio in question.

The protest signs in this new video include some of those reported in yesterday’s update on HUMAN EVENTS that sport the capital “A” with a circle, an anarchist gang-style symbol, and signs sported by University of New Orleans “UNO” professors and students taking part in the protest.

The main group planning the protest according to their leaflets was The Iron Rail Collective, a New Orleans-based anarchist group in the vein of those who make news in America and worldwide as they trash and burn cities whenever and wherever world leaders meet.

Maybe the attackers were, in fact, protesters of some anarchist stripe and zeroed in on Brown and Bautsch because they looked like stereotypically well-heeled members of the dreaded bourgeoisie. That would explain the sneering about money and being nicely dressed and it would qualify as a political motive, but not quite the political motive originally imagined by the rumor that they were beaten by mainstream lefties for wearing Palin buttons. Not sure what lesson, if any, can be drawn at this point, but consider yourself up to speed until, inevitably, we hear from Bautsch and Brown themselves.

Anninca, you have to understand people like madisonconservative/megsmccain, conservative pilgrim, blatantblue, etc, are simply water carriers for hotair and MM. They have little if any ability for independent thought and will simply attack anyone who doesn’t fall in line, even when it’s obvious that people like MM are just as corrupt as the people she’s criticizing.

I have nothing against selfishness — it’s the driving force of Adam Smith’s invisible hand — I’m just saying that holding arms as a check against government is a more altruistic reason, and is the heart and soul of the Second Amendment, methinks.

John the Libertarian on April 20, 2010 at 12:12 AM

You’re absolutely right on both counts (even the scary selfishness). I’m not even a huge Ayn Rand fan…

Given the parallels Beck has drawn between Obama and Wilson and the fact that we are now literally using the word “sedition” to describe people who dare to dissent, well it’s not so hard to believe anymore. I don’t want to believe it. It gives me no pleasure to suspect my leaders of wanting to incite violence. But the way they continually keep stirring the pot instead of acting like leaders and trying to diffuse an overheated situation is at least enough to give a person pause.

NoLeftTurn on April 19, 2010 at 11:33 PM

It is incredibly ironic that sedition is being used to describe people whose dissent includes calling for a return to the thinking of the Founders and the Constitution.

I’d support the government against that type of person on any day of the week.

AnninCA on April 20, 2010 at 12:09 AM

Your fantasy felatting of all things Clinton is truly stunning. Clinton DOJ killed as many children as Timothy McVeigh and I think that both of them should have been tried in a court of law and public opinion.

Lady, you can carry a concealed weapon in 48 states in this country, except for Illinois and Wisconsin. Millions of people carry them every day, and you don’t even realize it. They’re all law-abiding, and every day, 99.9999% of those guns hurt and kill…nobody.

When some guy grabs you on a dark night and tries to rape you, you’re going to wish you had a gun.

Lady, you can carry a concealed weapon in 48 states in this country, except for Illinois and Wisconsin. Millions of people carry them every day, and you don’t even realize it. They’re all law-abiding, and every day, 99.9999% of those guns hurt and kill…nobody.

When some guy grabs you on a dark night and tries to rape you, you’re going to wish you had a gun.

MadisonConservative on April 20, 2010 at 12:19 AM

You have one of the strongest cases of napolean complex that I’ve ever seen, Meghan.

My prediction is that this rally will calcify opinions against the Teaparties.

This was a turning point.

AnninCA on April 20, 2010 at 12:06 AM

So now you are a soothsayer? I thought your ignorance could not grow any further, but now I see that what I thought was a shallow pit, is a bottomless well. You just keep on drawing from that bucket, Ann.

I see you must have gotten that Axlerod memo, as you are repeating yourself as if this is the only talking point they gave you today.

The link I provided was newer than yours, you retarded mutant. Nor did the link you provide say anything other than that they were anarchists, which ALLAHPUNDIT SUGGESTED.

Piss. Off.

MadisonConservative on April 20, 2010 at 12:21 AM

Megs once again proves she cannot handle more than one fact at a time.

Doofpundit said it was not political and pushed the same MM nonsense about new orleans just being generally violent. “An old style new orleans brawl” showed that he is actually, possibly, more clueless than I had even though.

You and your crew are still pushing the nonsense that it wasn’t political, and seem not to understand some local college democrats were involved in the protest, as well. I was down there and saw some of them from UNO.

Everyone keeps saying dissent isn’t sedition, but this really cedes too much ground, as though sedition is a bad thing. Sedition has been recognized as legitimate dissent since the expiration of the Alien and Sedition acts almost a century ago.

Sedition is a slightly extreme form of dissent, in which one questions the legitimacy of the government. That seems like a fairly important issue to me. I don’t think Obama’s regime is illegitimate, but why shouldn’t someone who disagrees say so?

BTW, I understand this will blow madisonconservative/megs mccain’s mind, but are we going to get an answer as to how much the fact that SRLC denied malkin’s request for an all expenses paid trip to the SRLC has to do with her poo pooing the french quarter political beating?

So did you watch the video? Of course not. Obviously you’re not prejudiced.

I have and will never shoot a real gun.

*yikes!*

Here’s a fact you should realize: Over 99% of everyone who ever shoots a gun in this country will never even aim that weapon at a real person. Stop learning about firearms through histrionic anti-gun media and movies.

I just can’t kill a critter, so guns aren’t an acceptable answer for me.

If that critter is a 300 pound man who is going to rape and kill you, would a gun be an acceptable answer?

I sort of like tasers. Doesn’t that give me some street cred? *haha

AnninCA on April 20, 2010 at 12:22 AM

Tasers have killed a number of people. Guns have also been used against many people who lived. Why do you support one and not the other?

By the way, it would really cut down on your extremely elitist veneer if you directly responded to people rather than just address the group indirectly. We would like you a lot better if you talked to us, rather than at us. Are you interested in a real discussion, or do you just assume yourself superior and feel you’re somehow informing the unwashed masses?